[TomWinMD]

Hi Everyone,

It's been a while since I've posted, and now that my car has nearly 50K on it, and I thought prospective buyers might be interested in a long-term ownership opinion.

A little background. I ordered the car in the midst of the pandemic, and took delivery in September 2020 at the Performance Center in South Carolina. The car is a 2021, the first year of the LCI. Options on the car are: Driving Assistance Plus, Dynamic Handling Package, Parking Assistance Package, Executive Package, Heated Steering Wheel, Front & Rear Heated Seats, Leather Dash, Front Massaging Seats, and Front Ventilated Seats.

You can find other posts here on the forum about the ordering and delivery experience, all under my handle (TomWinMD).

Up front, I'll tell you I really like the car. It's fun to drive - plenty of power and I like the handling. Also, the mileage on the car is predominately highway miles, not stop and go city driving.

The only maintenance actions done to the car are a wiper blade change (I did); oil changes when the computer said they were due, and regular vehicle checks- both done by the dealer. It also has had two software updates: one over the air that I did, and one the dealer did to address the 0-60 acceleration times noted by other owners - both were accomplished without issue.

Here are the issues I've had with it, along with the fixes.

Starting around 25K, I received a low coolant warning. The dealer topped it off with about a pint, maybe more of coolant, primarily to the aux coolant tank. The next warning was 37.5K, and again at 49K. My dealer tops it off as a courtesy.

I changed the factory provided tires to a set of Continental DWS 06 at close to 6K miles. No major issue with the original Pirellis, but I didn't like the ride quality. The Continental tires have a slightly softer ride, and carry a 50K mile warranty.

During an extremely hot day (95+) without a sunshade in the windshield, I turned the car over and the steering wheel would not move down to its pre-programmed drive position, nor could I manually adjust it. After the car interior cooled off (about an hour later), the steering wheel moved when the car started and I could move it manually. I had the dealer look at it and they could not see an error code or replicate the issue. It hasn't happened since, and I make sure the sunshade is in the windshield in the summer.

Under certain conditions, the radar/ultrasonics provide false indications to the car when it's in cruise mode. A large tractor trailer (or other large vehicle) in my front left or right quadrant, going through a steep turn will cause the car to believe the tractor trailer is about to cross in front of the car, triggering the brakes. It's not a panic stop, but it can be a bit annoying as the car unexpectedly decelerates from highway speed to avoid the perceived obstacle.

Certain light conditions (reflected sunlight on the roadway, a sheen of water, certain re-marked lanes where old markings have been not entirely blacked out, etc.) cause the forward facing cameras to loose track of/mis-read the lane markings, causing the car to unexpectedly veer left or right to stay within what it thinks is the lane you are in - this happens in cruise and without cruise active. You can override the car's attempt to pull left or right, but it can be surprising and a little unnerving, especially if you are in cruise under dry and sunny conditions.

Both of the above aren't really repairable issues, and BMW does warn you about the system's imperfect ability to 'read the road', so just be aware. I suspect they will improve the car's software over time.

The latch on the center console between the front seats is a little sticky after 40K miles, and the left panel won't seat cleanly. I need to have the dealer look at it.

The engine and cabin air filters were changed out at 42K miles.

Lane assist needs to be less sensitive to get close enough to the lane boundaries when another lane is not available to give room to law enforcement, construction, broken down vehicles, etc. – otherwise, the lane keeping tries to drag you back to center when you don’t want to be there. It doesn't matter how much you dial back the sensitivity (I have); you basically have to turn it off to avoid having the car try to drag you back toward the peace officer, parked car, etc.

Overall, if I had to buy a new car, I'd be happy to order another G30. Getting in it, even for a routine trip to the grocery store, is something I enjoy, and for now, I'm looking forward to what the next 50K will bring.

If anyone has any questions, feel free to reach out and I'll answer them.

Tom

[HerkHealer]

Originally Posted by TomWinMD

Hi Everyone,

It's been a while since I've posted, and now that my car has nearly 50K on it, and I thought prospective buyers might be interested in a long-term ownership opinion.

A little background. I ordered the car in the midst of the pandemic, and took delivery in September 2020 at the Performance Center in South Carolina. The car is a 2021, the first year of the LCI. Options on the car are: Driving Assistance Plus, Dynamic Handling Package, Parking Assistance Package, Executive Package, Heated Steering Wheel, Front & Rear Heated Seats, Leather Dash, Front Massaging Seats, and Front Ventilated Seats.

You can find other posts here on the forum about the ordering and delivery experience, all under my handle (TomWinMD).

Up front, I'll tell you I really like the car. It's fun to drive - plenty of power and I like the handling. Also, the mileage on the car is predominately highway miles, not stop and go city driving.

The only maintenance actions done to the car are a wiper blade change (I did); oil changes when the computer said they were due, and regular vehicle checks- both done by the dealer. It also has had two software updates: one over the air that I did, and one the dealer did to address the 0-60 acceleration times noted by other owners - both were accomplished without issue.

Here are the issues I've had with it, along with the fixes.

Starting around 25K, I received a low coolant warning. The dealer topped it off with about a pint, maybe more of coolant, primarily to the aux coolant tank. The next warning was 37.5K, and again at 49K. My dealer tops it off as a courtesy.

I changed the factory provided tires to a set of Continental DWS 06 at close to 6K miles. No major issue with the original Pirellis, but I didn't like the ride quality. The Continental tires have a slightly softer ride, and carry a 50K mile warranty.

During an extremely hot day (95+) without a sunshade in the windshield, I turned the car over and the steering wheel would not move down to its pre-programmed drive position, nor could I manually adjust it. After the car interior cooled off (about an hour later), the steering wheel moved when the car started and I could move it manually. I had the dealer look at it and they could not see an error code or replicate the issue. It hasn't happened since, and I make sure the sunshade is in the windshield in the summer.

Under certain conditions, the radar/ultrasonics provide false indications to the car when it's in cruise mode. A large tractor trailer (or other large vehicle) in my front left or right quadrant, going through a steep turn will cause the car to believe the tractor trailer is about to cross in front of the car, triggering the brakes. It's not a panic stop, but it can be a bit annoying as the car unexpectedly decelerates from highway speed to avoid the perceived obstacle.

Certain light conditions (reflected sunlight on the roadway, a sheen of water, certain re-marked lanes where old markings have been not entirely blacked out, etc.) cause the forward facing cameras to loose track of/mis-read the lane markings, causing the car to unexpectedly veer left or right to stay within what it thinks is the lane you are in - this happens in cruise and without cruise active. You can override the car's attempt to pull left or right, but it can be surprising and a little unnerving, especially if you are in cruise under dry and sunny conditions.

Both of the above aren't really repairable issues, and BMW does warn you about the system's imperfect ability to 'read the road', so just be aware. I suspect they will improve the car's software over time.

The latch on the center console between the front seats is a little sticky after 40K miles, and the left panel won't seat cleanly. I need to have the dealer look at it.

The engine and cabin air filters were changed out at 42K miles.

Lane assist needs to be less sensitive to get close enough to the lane boundaries when another lane is not available to give room to law enforcement, construction, broken down vehicles, etc. – otherwise, the lane keeping tries to drag you back to center when you don’t want to be there. It doesn't matter how much you dial back the sensitivity (I have); you basically have to turn it off to avoid having the car try to drag you back toward the peace officer, parked car, etc.

Overall, if I had to buy a new car, I'd be happy to order another G30. Getting in it, even for a routine trip to the grocery store, is something I enjoy, and for now, I'm looking forward to what the next 50K will bring.

If anyone has any questions, feel free to reach out and I'll answer them.

Tom

Nice report Tom ! You put a LOT of miles on your car. Is it a company car?
Only reason I ask is because my brother is the New England sales mgr for a huge company. He regularly puts 75k+ on his cars. Gets a new one every 2 yrs.

[TomWinMD]

Originally Posted by HerkHealer

Nice report Tom ! You put a LOT of miles on your car. Is it a company car?
Only reason I ask is because my brother is the New England sales rep for a huge company. He regularly puts 75k per year on his cars. Gets a new one every 2 yrs.

Thanks.

Nope. My personal vehicle. Lots of road trips during Covid with my wife, and back and forth to work.

So far, I like how its holding up.

[HerkHealer]

Originally Posted by TomWinMD

Thanks.

Nope. My personal vehicle. Lots of road trips during Covid with my wife, and back and forth to work.

So far, I like how its holding up.

Awesome! I bet you guys had great travels! Nice to see someone who actually drives these cars versus "babying" them. I'm in the latter.....just 13k miles on my 2020. Hahahaa...

Great to know how they hold up though. Thank you for your input.

[MauiSteve]

The sun shade will help the steering column, however I suggest you address this while still under warranty. Since I reside in a sunny area I had mine replaced with the identified part number, and no problem since. The TSB is attached for your reference.

[H_T]

Thank you for posting. I have a 2021 m550 as well, similar options except without the driver assistance and dynamic handling. This car is definitely one of the best BMWs made. I just put over 10k miles, and the only issue was a low coolant warning at around 6k miles (right after an oil change in the primary tank). At the 10k service I had the dealer check for leaks, and there was not any (they said they barely added coolant too). Factory tires still had tread (I think 10mm).

I live in Florida where temperature gets to 95 daily in the summer. At home it is garage kept, but I never use the front sunshade when parked outside at work (only tint and rear shades). I never had your issue where I couldn't start the car due to heat.

I believe BMW may have addressed one of your lane assist concerns with an upcoming software update (but I could be wrong): https://www.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...php?p=28942721

[HerkHealer]

Originally Posted by TomWinMD

During an extremely hot day (95+) without a sunshade in the windshield, I turned the car over and the steering wheel would not move down to its pre-programmed drive position, nor could I manually adjust it. After the car interior cooled off (about an hour later), the steering wheel moved when the car started and I could move it manually.

Tom,

Have you used the pre-ventilation feature on the MyBMW app to assist with cooling the car down ? Doesnt really get that hot here in New England. Maybe a few days per year. Curious if it helps out.

[NGT2]

I use the driving assistance functions on my 2018 540i almost 100% of the time I'm on interstate trips. My experience is exactly the same. It's not perfect. But I find it very useful and I'm very happy with it. The car handles the basics and I oversee it all. I definitely wouldn't recommend someone taking it for granted and getting complacent. It gives me a break, but I'm still the driver. Also, I find myself basically doing all the driving with the steering wheel, meaning I don't use the brake or accelerator much. I just adjust the speed using cruise controls on the wheel. If I need to slow down for an upcoming curve, couple taps down. Then a couple taps up to resume higher speeds. I love it. It's not there to take over for me, it's there as a tool to be used in operating the vehicle.

[Joe-BMW33]

Nice review, thanks for putting this together. In terms of driver assistance functions, I find them all very useful and use them a lot. I set lane keep or assist (whatever it's called) set to reduced and find this the right balance. It allows you to cross lanes without a blinker without fighting you. Reduced is specific for this. I always use my blinker, but when I enter the highway on a Sunday morning and just want to punch it and get over to the left with no one on the road, I don't have to use my blinker to avoid having the car fight with me.

I also use steering assist a lot. Not to steer the car with my hands off the wheel, but to "assist" and keep me true to my lane.

ACC stop and go might be my favorite of all the driving assistance functions.

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by NGT2

I use the driving assistance functions on my 2018 540i almost 100% of the time I'm on interstate trips. My experience is exactly the same. It's not perfect. But I find it very useful and I'm very happy with it. The car handles the basics and I oversee it all. I definitely wouldn't recommend someone taking it for granted and getting complacent. It gives me a break, but I'm still the driver. Also, I find myself basically doing all the driving with the steering wheel, meaning I don't use the brake or accelerator much. I just adjust the speed using cruise controls on the wheel. If I need to slow down for an upcoming curve, couple taps down. Then a couple taps up to resume higher speeds. I love it. It's not there to take over for me, it's there as a tool to be used in operating the vehicle.

Did you know the cruise control will do this for you? I've tested it on many interchanges and the car will slow sufficiently, then resume the set speed. It's a bit unnerving at first, but it works pretty well.

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

Nice review, thanks for putting this together. In terms of driver assistance functions, I find them all very useful and use them a lot. I set lane keep or assist (whatever it's called) set to reduced and find this the right balance. It allows you to cross lanes without a blinker without fighting you. Reduced is specific for this. I always use my blinker, but when I enter the highway on a Sunday morning and just want to punch it and get over to the left with no one on the road, I don't have to use my blinker to avoid having the car fight with me.

I also use steering assist a lot. Not to steer the car with my hands off the wheel, but to "assist" and keep me true to my lane.

ACC stop and go might be my favorite of all the driving assistance functions.

I turned off the correction function. I will turn it on for long, freeway trips, but for in-town it's quite annoying.

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

Did you know the cruise control will do this for you? I've tested it on many interchanges and the car will slow sufficiently, then resume the set speed. It's a bit unnerving at first, but it works pretty well.

I turned off the correction function. I will turn it on for long, freeway trips, but for in-town it's quite annoying.

I've read that it will slow itself down for a turn but I've never experienced it. Maybe the car wants to handle a speedy turn that I don't

[paquet]

Hearing of the reliability on the 550i variant is quite welcome.

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by NGT2

I've read that it will slow itself down for a turn but I've never experienced it. Maybe the car wants to handle a speedy turn that I don't

It will try and stay close to your chosen speed

[r1cero]

I don't like it when it slows down during a corner, I mean if I wanted to brake, I would do so

[wakebord99]

I have a 2017 540i w the drivers asst pro w a 2022 550i ordered. Curious if the following distance is close enough.

Around me in NJ during commutes if I leave dcc active with a 1 follow distance it can be slow to react to cars accelerating or changing lanes often resulting in 6 or more car lengths between me and the car ahead of me.. resulting in a pissed off driver behind me. Did they fix that w the refresh?

[TomWinMD]

Originally Posted by HerkHealer

Tom,

Have you used the pre-ventilation feature on the MyBMW app to assist with cooling the car down ? Doesnt really get that hot here in New England. Maybe a few days per year. Curious if it helps out.

Actually I haven't tried that yet. My departure times vary considerably, so I generally just start the car when I head out to it. Also, I should stress that the issue only happened once, and has not happened since that instance.

[TomWinMD]

Originally Posted by MauiSteve

The sun shade will help the steering column, however I suggest you address this while still under warranty. Since I reside in a sunny area I had mine replaced with the identified part number, and no problem since. The TSB is attached for your reference.

Thanks very much.

[TomWinMD]

Originally Posted by wakebord99

I have a 2017 540i w the drivers asst pro w a 2022 550i ordered. Curious if the following distance is close enough.

Around me in NJ during commutes if I leave dcc active with a 1 follow distance it can be slow to react to cars accelerating or changing lanes often resulting in 6 or more car lengths between me and the car ahead of me.. resulting in a pissed off driver behind me. Did they fix that w the refresh?

The system does seem to be conservative in maintaining the following distance, but my understanding is that it reacts more aggressively in Sport mode than in ECO for example. In standard/comfort mode, the car can lag a bit when a car ahead accelerates away, but I wouldn't call it six car lengths. Three to four would be more like it, depending on how aggressively the car ahead pulls away balanced by the mode the M550i is in.

[TomWinMD]

Originally Posted by NGT2

I've read that it will slow itself down for a turn but I've never experienced it. Maybe the car wants to handle a speedy turn that I don't

It's done that to me on S-curves at highway speeds when the car determines that the angles on the curves are beyond a certain degree (my estimate - greater than 40 degrees).

For instance, there are a couple of places on I-76 near Pittsburgh where the S-curves are pretty significant, and the car reduced the speed to the posted limit.

Also, on the Blue Ridge Parkway, at only 40 mph, some of the curves were such a great angle that the cruise system just disengaged completely.

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by TomWinMD

The system does seem to be conservative in maintaining the following distance, but my understanding is that it reacts more aggressively in Sport mode than in ECO for example. In standard/comfort mode, the car can lag a bit when a car ahead accelerates away, but I wouldn't call it six car lengths. Three to four would be more like it, depending on how aggressively the car ahead pulls away balanced by the mode the M550i is in.

Interesting. I've never thought to try different modes to see if it reacts differently.

[mffarrell]

Did the dealership find out why you are losing coolant? I have a 2020, and I lose a small amount of coolant over time, plus I get a coolant smell in my garage.

The dealer claims a coolant loss in these cars is normal. I don’t agree.

[TomWinMD]

Originally Posted by mffarrell

Did the dealership find out why you are losing coolant? I have a 2020, and I lose a small amount of coolant over time, plus I get a coolant smell in my garage.

The dealer claims a coolant loss in these cars is normal. I don’t agree.

I've heard the same thing. According to the advisor, there is a small amount of evaporation occurring over time. To me, that means a leak of some kind.

Having said that, I've only had a low coolant warning come up three times since I've had the car. The first around 25K miles, the next at 37K, and the most recent at 49K, so it's taking about 10-12K miles to eat a pint or so of coolant.

I get no coolant smell in my garage, and no sign of leaks in the engine compartment or on the garage floor.